


Fate vs Destiny

by aielle



Category: ARGONAVIS from BanG Dream! AAside (Video Game)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-24
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:06:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27180143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aielle/pseuds/aielle
Summary: Asahi Nayuta's relatively peaceful life gets disrupted as he (repeatedly) encounters a particularly annoying female. It should've been easy enough for him to ignore her but he can't seem to do it for some reason...Chance encounters, angst, swearing, internal monologues, food, coffee, and of course singing. Lots of singing.
Relationships: Asahi Nayuta/OC
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> *Set 3 years after the events of LRFes with the assumption that GYRO won. Mashu is back to being their manager, linking to my first work "How To Rule The World".
> 
> *Headcanon that GYRO now lives in a mansion similar to εpsilonΦ's as part of their prize for winning LRFes. They are still located in Nishishinjuku. I might write a short fic about this.
> 
> *Will make reference to events/info from the anime, Puchigonavis manga, AAside Lifestyle manga, GYRO LN, concerts, SOLs, livestreams, etc. I want to use as much canon as possible but may fill in gaps with headcanon.
> 
> *All songs credited to the original artists, composers and lyricists. Using them for the sole purpose of storytelling. I don't own any of the songs except for whatever I specify as OC.
> 
> *Song titles in **bold** , thoughts in _italics_ , sound effects in *sfx*

"Stop!" Nayuta yelled. The other members of GYROAXIA sighed & stopped playing. It was a very common scenario, they were all used to it already.

Nayuta glared at his bandmates one by one.

"Satozuka, you're too distracted. Call your brother & get it out of your system."

Kenta gave a tired smile. "Sorry about that."

"Sakaigawa, the chorus needs more power."

"Hai hai." Miyuki said nonchalantly.

"Misono, you chipped your pick on the last riff. Change it."

"Eh?!" Reon stared at his guitar pick. "You're right! How could you even tell? Gosh..." he muttered as he looked for a replacement.

"Tch." Nayuta turned to Ryo. "Akebono."

Ryo looked at him expectantly.

"...You're fine."

"Fufu!" Ryo grinned. "I got praised!"

"Good for you, Ryo." Kenta placed his guitar on its rack. "Let's take a 15 minute break. I have to make a call anyway."

Kenta quietly left the recording room, phone in hand. After one last glare at the others, Nayuta also left but not as quietly.

"Think Nayuta will be okay on his own?" Reon asked Miyuki & Ryo.

Miyuki shrugged, smiling calmly. "He's an adult. I'm sure he can fend for himself if Kenta stopped fussing over him."

"Still..." Ryo said, thoughtfully licking a lollipop. "This is the last recording we have before going on break."

"A 2-month break. Who'd have thought Mashu-san would be so generous?" Miyuki glanced at Reon. "You can use the time to focus on summer classes, Mr. Graduating Literature Student."

"Mou..." Reon groaned. "Don't remind me. Yuto said that the prep work is extra hard this time. On the upside, I'll be staying with my relatives this summer. Where are you guys going, by the way? I know Kenta-san is visiting Sapporo with his little brother."

"I promised some Earthling friends I'd go to Osaka with them. I want to try all the sweets." Ryo sighed wistfully.

"I'm taking my dad to Tokyo Bay." Miyuki said. "We'll be bonding over fishing."

"Then that really leaves Nayuta alone in the mansion. He threw a fit when Mashu-san said we'll be stopping all band activity for 2 whole months." Reon tested the new pick. "But I'll see him in school anyway, I suppose."

"He has Nyankotarou with him at least." Ryo waved the lollipop in the air. "All is right with the universe."

"Well, let's just finish recording this last song then we can enjoy summer freely." Miyuki smiled at Reon. "Don't worry too much, we could all use a change of pace."

Reon sighed. "Guess you're right."

*****

Asahi Nayuta began his first day alone in the GYROAXIA mansion the same way as always. Log-in to mobile game, do morning necessities, brew lemon coffee...

He gave a cursory glance around the kitchen area, looking for Nyankotarou. The white cat would usually greet him the moment he steps out of his room.

_Where is she?_

Nayuta eventually found her lying behind the bookshelf. He carefully picked her up & inspected her condition.

"Oy, what's wrong with you?" he asked quietly, gently stroking the soft fur.

_Wet nose. Tear stains along the eyes. Breathing slightly labored._

"Haa... a cold, huh?" Nyankotarou gave a feeble meow in response.

_Need to find a vet..._

Nayuta did a quick search for the nearest clinic as he prepared the pet carrier. The one 2 blocks away seemed good enough. In a last minute decision, he put on a black military cap before heading out the door.

*****

A few minutes later, he found himself in front of the pet clinic. As he pushed the door open, his ears perked up to the sound of a voice from the inside singing an old song by Siam Shade.

Kowareru hodo aishitemo  
Sanbun no ichi mo tsutawaranai  
Junjou na kanjou wa karamawari  
I love you sae ienaideiru my heart

The singing wasn't professional by any means, but it was a beautiful voice. It was melodic, passionate, and triggered something inside him that felt vaguely familiar. 

Nayuta frowned. He had a good memory for voices and was sure he never heard this one before.

_Tch. Enough of this._

He stepped inside. 

The place looked like a cross between a pet supply store and veterinary clinic. Past the foyer was a row of white plastic chairs, a receptionist table and a queue ticket dispenser. 

There was no one in sight. Nayuta pulled a ticket from the dispenser and sat on one of the chairs, placing Nyankotarou's carrier on his lap. 

The faint singing from somewhere within the store as if moving around can still be heard, Nayuta closed his eyes and focused on listening. There was only one other voice that had a similar effect on him and he did not like the idea of encountering another bothersome person, especially a female version.

Dore dake kimi wo aishitara  
Kono omi todoku no darou  
Yume no naka de wa tashikani  
Ieta hazu na noni  
Kowareru hodo aishitemo  
Sanbun no ichi mo tsutawaranai  
Junjou na kanjou wa karamawari  
I love you sae ienaideiru my heart  
My heart~

The last lingering note of the song hung shimmering in the air. Nayuta let out a slow breath that he wasn't even aware of holding. 

He looked towards the sound of footsteps approaching, unconsciously pulling the cap lower to cover his face.

"Oh! I'm so sorry for the wait, sir. Let me get you a registration form."

It was unmistakably the one singing earlier. She turned towards the table, took out a clipboard and pen then handed them over to him.

"Please fill up your details on the card while I triage the patient. May I know the name of your pet?"

"...This kid's called Nyankotarou. She seems to have a cold." He handed the pet carrier to her.

The supposed receptionist looked to be a young woman, probably the same age as him or perhaps younger. She had long bluish-black hair tied in a loose ponytail that hung over her left shoulder, effectively obscuring most of the name tag pinned to her lavender scrub suit. She had bright purple eyes and a polite smile as she went about checking on the sick cat.

Nayuta felt like he'd seen those eyes before.

"Looks like Nyankotarou does have a cold, poor thing." She said with a sympathetic voice.

Her voice. Again. Nayuta frowned as he filled up the registration form. There's something about it that sets him on edge, but at the same time he can't help but want to hear more of it.

_This is worse than Nanahoshi Ren._

As if on cue, Ren's voice suddenly rang out. It was the chorus of the Star Five theme song and seemed to come from her phone.

_Tch. He's annoying even when he's not around._

"Oh! Forgot to put it on silent mode. Hello? Nii-chan? Hai, I'm still at work. Oh, from Oba-chan? Sure. Just drop by the clinic. See ya later!"

Nayuta handed back the clipboard and his cue number. "Will the doctor see her now?"

She took the form and glanced at it. "Yes. If you'll please follow me, Asahi-san?"

*****

Thirty minutes later, Nyankotarou was hooked up to an IV, to be confined overnight. The receptionist led Nayuta back to her desk to settle the bill.

"I'm sorry you can't go home with Nyankotarou today. But Sensei will take good care of her. He lives in this building so he can check on her anytime"

"..."

"You're new to this area, right? We do deliveries. If you need anything for her, here's a brochure and a flyer for details." Classic marketing spiel.

Under normal circumstances, Nayuta's response would've been "Don't need it." But for some reason, he found himself asking "Will you be the one doing the delivery?"

She blinked and tilted her head to one side. "Well, it could be any of the staff in charge at the time. Why?"

"I don't like random strangers showing up at my place. If I do get anything, it better be you since I already know your face."

_What the heck am I saying?_

The girl smiled politely, "Was my up-selling that effective? I don't mind as long as I am on duty. Here, let me give you my contact. Just send me a LINE if you need anything." 

She wrote her details on the back of the flyer. "By the way, your voice sounds very familiar but I'm not sure why..."

Nayuta stared at her for a few seconds before glancing at the flyer. He did a double-take at the name written on it.

"...Nanahoshi?"

"Yes. Nanahoshi Aika. Pleased to met you." She gave a slight bow.

Just then, the store door opened and a distinctly familiar voice called out. "Excuse me... Ah, Aika-chan! I'm here."

Nayuta quickly turned to the newcomer. "Nanahoshi Ren?!"

At the same time, the girl now known as Nanahoshi Aika exclaimed "Ren-nii-chan!"

To which Nayuta turned to the girl. "Haa? Nii-chan?!"

"That voice... Eh? Nayuta-kun?!" Ren exclaimed, almost dropping the big shopping bag he was carrying.

"Eh? Nayuta-kun?!" Aika gasped. "Asahi Nayuta? From GYROAXIA? No way!" Her eyes wide with disbelief.

"Damn it!" Nayuta scowled. So much for being incognito. He pulled off his cap and impatiently ran a hand through his hair. It makes sense now, of course they had to be related. Looking at the two Nanahoshi's side by side, they had similar eyes and... 

_And their voices... Their damned voices..._

"So uhm... why is Nayuta-kun here?" Ren asked in an attempt to break the awkward silence.

"Well..." Aika glanced hesitantly at Nayuta. "He brought in a patient."

"Tch. I'm done here." Nayuta muttered, put his cap back on and walked away.

"Oh. Ah! Thank you for your patronage!" Aika said belatedly bowing as he headed for the exit.

"I'll see you on Monday, Nayuta-kun!" Ren called out.

Nayuta grit his teeth. Damn Nanahoshi Ren for reminding him of another annoying thing. He quickly walked back to the mansion. He needed to prepare for the start of summer classes.

_Nanahoshi Aika... What a hassle..._

But even as he thought this, her voice singing **1/3 no Junjou na Kanjou** continued to play inside his head.


	2. Chapter 2

The first day of summer classes in Kamogawa Music College has begun without incident. Nayuta breezed through his lectures as always. An honor student and scholar throughout his school years, the only reason he's taking summer class was because he missed too many days of school with band activities.

After finishing the course work for the day, he headed out of the Faculty of Law building. He still needed to pick up Nyankotarou from the clinic. Nayuta had every intention of getting the process done as quickly as possible.

_If I run into that woman..._

"Excuse me, Asahi-san?"

Nayuta let out a frustrated sigh and stopped walking.

_Speak of the devil._

"Hello, Asahi-san." The girl approached him. "We met yesterday. I'm Nanahoshi Aika." She gave a polite bow. She looked a little different wearing a loose white shirt and jeans rather than scrubs.

"Aah." Nayuta muttered.

"I was wondering if you know where Ren-nii-chan is. He mentioned you were classmates for the summer program."

"Dunno." And he could've left it at that. But he couldn't bring himself to give an incomplete answer to her question. "He's probably still in class."

"I see. Thank you for telling me." Another polite bow.

Nayuta gave a curt nod. "...well then." He took a few steps towards the gate. Then stopped. He turned back towards the girl.

"Nanahoshi Ren. Is he your older brother?"

"Eh?" She tilted her head. "Oh, I call him nii-chan out of habit. He's my cousin, older than me by one year. We just grew up together."

"...is that so." Cousins. Nayuta filed this information in his head.

"Uhm... you'll be picking up Nyankotarou now, right?"

"...Yeah."

"I'll also be heading to the clinic after I give back Ren-nii-chan's notebook." She held up the item in question. "He left this in the bag of souvenirs he gave me yesterday. Such an airhead thing to do, ne?" She smiled.

"..."

"Well, I'll just wait for him. Maybe I shall see you in the clinic later on."

"..."

"You really don't say much, huh."

Nayuta's eyebrows shot up. Outside of the band, no one has ever made any comment about his behavior to his face. It was... unexpected.

"Heh. You're quite cheeky." He smirked despite himself.

"Aika-chan! Nayuta-kun!" Ren called out as he hurriedly exited the building and ran towards them.

"Nii-chan! Mou... you left this in the bag yesterday!" She thrust the notebook at Ren. "You should pay more attention to your things."

"Ah! Un. Gomen, Aika-chan. I totally forgot I put it there. I thought I lost it, I was so worried."

"Nii-chan is so helpless. What would you do if I hadn't..." The cousins continued to bicker.

Nayuta watched the exchange for a few more seconds before silently walking towards the gates. Just a few more steps to the street...

"Asahi-san! Matte!" 

"Tch." Nayuta glared at the girl who once again approached him fearlessly. "What now?"

The girl took a few deep breaths. It seems she had to run to catch up to him. "I... I just figured since we're going the same way... maybe we can go together?"

He grit his teeth in frustration. It was a twenty minute ride to get to the clinic. He didn't need to get involved with this woman. He should tell her no. He should tell her to leave him alone.

"...Do whatever you want."

He scowled. It shouldn't matter anyway. So what if they go together? He can just ignore her for the entire ride there. He's good at ignoring people.

Nayuta began to walk again. The girl followed.

*****

Nanahoshi Ren watched as his cousin and Nayuta walked out of campus together, looking a little perplexed.

It was rare to see GYROAXIA's vocalist have a proper conversation with anyone. And he wasn't sure but it seemed like Nayuta actually smiled a little?

*****

"Do you usually take the bus or the train?" the girl asked as they walked out of the campus grounds and onto the main street.

Nayuta glanced at the girl who was doing a decent job of keeping up with his pace. "Neither."

He stopped at the taxi stand. Luckily there was one on standby. The taxi door opened.

"You. Get in."

"But..." She hesitated.

"Get in or go on your own. I don't care either way."

She stared at Nayuta in disbelief. He stared back, his red eyes showing obvious impatience. 

Eventually, she looked away and shrugged. "Fine. A free ride is a free ride, after all." She muttered as she entered the taxi.

Nayuta waited for her to settle before getting on himself. He gave the address to driver. He pulled out red earpods from his pocket and put them on. Maybe some music will help put his mind off the person seated beside him.

It worked for a few minutes until he made the mistake of glancing in her direction. She was seated properly, eyes looking out the window, her hair attempting to escape the loose ribbon that held it. Her head was making tiny movements, as if keeping time with something.

_She's singing._

Nayuta knew for sure she was singing. He had a strong urge to find out what it was. He also wanted to pull off her ribbon and put it out of its misery. His brow furrowed in annoyance.

_What the hell? Who cares what she's singing in her head or how she wears her hair? It's got nothing to do with me._

He leaned back and shut his eyes. This is going to be a long ride.

*****

Despite appearances, the girl in question was very aware of the guy next to her. It was not everyday one gets to meet one's idol. After all, Nanahoshi Aika has been a fan of GYROAXIA ever since their debut in Sapporo.

She was also unsure what came over her, chasing after him earlier and asking if they can go to the clinic together.

Aika had been genuinely caught off-guard on the day they first met. Though the three-way shock between her, Ren-nii-chan and Asahi Nayuta was actually quite comedic. Like a rom-com anime scenario.

The idea made her smile. Not as if anything close to a rom-com would ever happen though. Especially not with this guy. Things like that don't happen in real life. Aika was a realist, if nothing else.

Her thought process naturally led her to think of the latest anime soundtrack she had been listening to. And before she knew it, a song was already playing in her head.

Because of this, Aika totally missed that brief moment when Asahi Nayuta was looking her way.

*****

They finally arrived at their destination after enduring what seemed to be the longest twenty minute ride of Nayuta's life. He paid for the fare, ignoring the girl's offer to split the bill, and got out of the cab.

They entered the clinic together. Some random guy was seated by the reception area.

"Good aftern-"

"Where's my cat?" Nayuta cut off the greeting and got straight to business.

The clinic employee was taken aback. The girl stepped up. "Senpai, it's the white cat. Can you check with Sensei if she's cleared? I'll handle things here."

The other staff member mutely nodded and hurried to the back of the clinic. The girl logged into her time sheet and started sorting through the files behind the desk.

"You're not one for formality, I noticed." She said with a wry smile. "I've seen it in interviews but seeing it in person is really something else. Senpai must've been so scared."

"..."

"Ah, here's her file. Please take a seat, Asahi-san. We'll call you in once we get clearance from Sensei." She disappeared into the clinic area.

Nayuta wrinkled his brow. The girl was perplexing. She'd be cheeky one moment, then polite the next.

Still feeling a bit restless, he decided to check what supplies they had in stock. After completing one circuit inside the store, the clinic employees reappeared. 

The guy gave him a hurried bow and returned to the desk. The girl approached him, she was wearing her lavender scrub suit again. 

"Sorry for the wait, Asahi-san. Sensei will see you now. If you'll please follow me?" She turned back towards the clinic area. 

Nayuta followed.

*****

The vet gave a list of vitamin supplements and a temporary modified diet for Nyankotarou. All of which were readily available in the store. Nayuta settled the bill and left without another word.

As he walked the 2 blocks back to the mansion, he tried to sort out his thoughts. Nayuta mentally scolded himself for being so muddled. These distractions are taking his attention away from more important things. For now, he'll focus on nursing Nyankotarou, completing summer course work, and creating more music. Nothing else should matter, especially not some annoying girl he just met.


	3. Chapter 3

The course work for third-year students in the Faculty of Law began to pile up in earnest. This week's topic was about criminal cases and the assignment was a research paper.

Nayuta went to the public library after lunch time, hoping the place isn't too crowded. He quickly located the medico-legal books he needed and parked himself in a quiet corner table facing the windows to take research notes on his laptop.

He was about to put on his earpods when his peripheral vision caught sight of a now familiar face.  
The girl from the pet clinic was seated at the other end of the study area. Her bluish-black hair was in its usual loose ponytail. There were two piles of books on either side of her. She seemed to be multitasking between reading books, taking notes and typing on her laptop. Her face was set with a determined expression of someone intent on getting things done.

A couple of random guys approached her, saying hello. She seemed to return their greeting, but her pleasant smile did not reach her eyes. Not to mention her body language looked tense.

Nayuta's frown deepened. Were they bothering her? They seem to be asking her something but she repeatedly shook her head, her fake smile never leaving. Eventually, they left. He found himself relaxing, which surprised him. Why was he bothered by this sort of thing? He grit his teeth in annoyance.

_This is stupid. I have better things to do._

Nayuta resolutely put on his earpods and began his research. 

*****

His intense concentration made the hours fly by. When he looked up, the sun was already setting. He sighed and rubbed his forehead. This should be enough for today.

His gaze drifted towards the other end of the study area. The girl was already tidying up her things and conscientiously putting her books on the return racks. The same guys who approached her earlier came back and tried to talk to her once more. The sight pissed him off. He focused on packing up his things instead.

As he walked out of the library, the girl ran past him. She bumped into the security guard who was walking by. She hurriedly apologized and kept going, not noticing that she dropped her phone. The guard didn't notice either and went on his way.

Nayuta stared at the phone on the ground. He could just leave it there. Or endorse it to the library staff. He let out a frustrated sigh and picked it up. He was contemplating his next move when the guys who were talking to her walked past.

"Man, Nanahoshi didn't let up..."

"What did you expect from the Ice Queen? I told you you'd lose this bet easily. Now pay up, you owe me ¥1,000."

Money was handed over. "I was so sure that if I kept bugging her, she'd give in to peer pressure."

"She's not the type. Probably why all the girls hate her guts..."

They walked on. Nayuta glared at their retreating figures.

_What a bunch of scumbags..._

He looked at the girl's phone. The lock screen image was of a sleeping black cat.

"Tch." Nayuta stuffed the girl's phone in his bag and pulled out his own phone. Considering the date and time, Satozuka should be back in Tokyo by now. And his first stop would be a certain sharehouse in Shimokitazawa...

*****

Kenta parked his car in front of the Argonavis sharehouse. Wataru got out and began to unload his things. Ren and Yuto greeted them then proceeded to help bring Wataru's things inside.

"Want to have dinner before you go, Aniki?" Wataru asked.

"We got Rio's special curry in the fridge. We'll just heat it up." said Yuto.

"Sure." Kenta smiled. "It would be nice to catch up with you guys."

As they settled into the living room, Kenta's phone began to ring. "Excuse me. I'll just take this call." He stepped away as the others prepared dinner.

"Hello? Nayuta?"

"Satozuka. You're with Argonavis, right?"

Kenta blinked. "Yes, I am. But how did you know?"

"Get Nanahoshi Ren."

"Eh? Nanahoshi?" Kenta raised an eyebrow. "You know, Nayuta, you could just ask for his number. I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

Nayuta actually does have Nanahoshi Ren's contact info. He simply refuses to use it. It is also still a mystery who gave out his contact info in the first place.

"Whatever. Just get him on the phone." Nayuta's voice radiated impatience and extra irritability.

"Very well." Kenta sighed and turned to Ren who was setting the table. "Nanahoshi-kun, Nayuta wants to talk to you."

"Hm? Déjà vu?" Wataru muttered as he laid out the side dishes.

"Eh? Nayuta-kun?" Ren took Kenta's phone. "Hello?"

"Nanahoshi. Where does that girl live?"

"Eh? That girl?"

"Tch. Your cousin or whatever. Where does she live?"

Ren furrowed his brow. "Eh? Aika-chan? Is this about your cat? I can give you her number-"

"I have her number. I need her address. It's important. Tell me where it is NOW." Nayuta snarled.

"Oh. Well, if it is important..." Ren reluctantly gave the address. After getting the information, Nayuta ended the call.

"He hung up." Ren said aloud, looking perplexed.

"What was it about?" Kenta asked, retrieving his phone.

"Oh. He asked for my cousin. She works in a pet clinic, his cat is one of their patients."

"Did something happen to Nyankotarou?" Kenta suddenly looked concerned.

"Un. His cat was sick a couple of weeks ago." Ren frowned. "He seemed to be in a rush to contact her about something."

Kenta sighed. "Typical of Nayuta to not mention anything about this."

"Aniki! Ren! Dinner's ready." Wataru called.

"Let's eat, I'm hungry!" Yuto chimed.

"Un!" Ren gestured towards the dining table. "Shall we, Kenta-san?"

Kenta nodded. He can worry about Nayuta later. "Alright."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *It is canon that Nayuta has Ren's contact info. This refers to a post in the official AAside Twitter account where Ren contacts Nayuta via a messaging app. And Nayuta doesn't know who gave out his contact.


	4. Chapter 4

The girl's address was a short walk away from the pet clinic. Meaning she lived only a few blocks away from the GYROAXIA mansion.

Nayuta walked up to the two-story 20-door apartment building. It looked clean enough but the building itself was obviously old. It had the typical look of a low-cost housing facility.

The sight of such a building brought up memories he didn't want to remember.

"Tch. What a pain." He grudgingly trudged up the stairs. The girl's room would be at the very end of the second level. He reached his destination and stared at the name plate above the doorbell. It had seven stars doodled along the borders.

From the inside, he could hear faint strains of classical music. It sounded like **Beethoven's Symphony No. 9**. Nayuta half-expected to hear her singing some random song and was strangely disappointed that she wasn't.

_Whatever. Let's get this over with._

He rang the doorbell. The music stopped and there was a moment of silence. A hesitant voice called out from behind the door. "Who is it?"

"Asahi Nayuta."

"..."

"Oy. Open the door."

"...Ah! Hai..." the door slowly opened a crack up to the space allowed by the door chain. A purple eye peeked out.

"Konbanwa, Asahi-san. What brings you here?"

Nayuta pulled her phone out of his bag. "You dropped this."

The girl gasped. She hurriedly removed the chain and opened the door completely.

His view now unobstructed, Nayuta gave her a once-over. Her hair was tied up in a high ponytail, the ribbon secure for once. Her face held a curious but wary expression. She wore a matching gray spaghetti strap tank top and dolphin shorts underneath something that looked like a baggy jacket. Her long legs were nicely toned, which he casually appreciated. He was a guy after all. 

He realized the baggy jacket was actually a haori. It had an iconic sky blue and white pattern.

_Shinsengumi? Cosplay?_

As if guessing what he was thinking, she consciously tugged at the haori. "Oh. Uh. This is just my loungewear. I'm not into cosplay or anything."

"Whatever." Nayuta said dismissively. He handed her the phone. "Here."

"Thank you very much." She clutched the phone to her chest. 

Nayuta's gaze followed the phone. Physically, she's quite the package. It's a shame she hides it under loose clothes. Not like it matters to him either way.

"Hm." His business done, he turned to leave.

"Uhm. Asahi-san." She called.

He gave her a sideways glance. "...What?"

"Would you like to come in for coffee or something?" She asked. "As thanks for returning my phone."

"Don't need it." He replied. But right after saying so, thunder cracked and a torrent of heavy rain fell. A summer storm in the truest sense.

Nayuta scowled at the sudden downpour. It would be impossible to run through this, even with an umbrella. And he can't risk getting sick.

The girl cleared her throat. "You were saying?"

"..."

She stepped back and gestured for him to head inside. "Please come in."

"Tch." Nayuta entered her apartment. He removed his shoes and followed the girl into the living space.

The interior is typical of 1R apartment. The kitchen area right by the entrance, a door leading to the bathroom, a plain bed pushed against the wall, a low table in the middle of the room, a couple of seat cushions, a TV monitor on top of a low shelf on one corner and a glass sliding door leading out to a small balcony.

"Please have a seat. It looks like the rain won't stop anytime soon. How about we have dinner? It's getting late anyway." The girl asked as she busied herself in the kitchen area.

"...Fine." Nayuta said distractedly. The room felt too familiar and too strange at the same time. The rain which he could clearly see from the glass door he was facing added a melancholy backdrop. The scene was overlapping with the places he stayed at as a kid.

He mentally shook himself. Now was not the time to think about such useless things. He decided to focus on the other items around him.

The shelf on which the TV perched on contained an organized collection of music. She had all the singles and albums of Argonavis. Not surprising, considering the connection. He noticed with some pride that she had all the singles and albums of GYROAXIA as well. The other CD's seem to be of classical music, soundtracks and various albums released from past years. It was an eclectic mix.

His gaze shifted to the stack of DVD's beside the shelf. Anime, tokusatsu... and behind the stack DVD's was a stack of manga.

_An otaku?_

It didn't seem to fit with her image that she seemed to project. What was it those scumbags called her? Ice Queen? Not like he was someone who can judge a person by their appearance. He himself was subject to many misconceptions…

His thought process was derailed by the sound of her singing. Nayuta quickly turned his head to look at her. He could only see her profile from where he sat. She was going through the motions of someone used to preparing a meal. Her eyes had a faraway look as if she wasn't aware of what she was even doing. Her voice was soft but he can hear her clearly in such a small space.

Mabataki ga kaze wo yobu  
Hohoemi ga zawameki wo keshisaru  
Anata no me ni sumu tenshi ga sasayaki  
Subete ga ima hajimaru to

 **Wish**. It was a Trapnest song from 2007. Nayuta felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. The way she sang with such quiet passion perfectly matched the song's emotional undertone. Simply put, he was fascinated. It didn't make sense why he would even react this way. There was no technique to her singing, nothing out of the ordinary to impress him except maybe the quality of her voice.

Can you feel it now, can you feel it now  
Nami ni nomi komareta you ni  
Pulling on my heart, pulling on my heart  
Iki wo tome te wo nobashite

He began to realize that this was different from Nanahoshi Ren. It was something else entirely that he cannot even begin to describe. That made her dangerous.

_Damn it!_

He must've said that aloud because she abruptly stopped singing, a flustered look on her face.  
"Oh. Sorry, got carried away." Her cheeks turned bright pink.

Nayuta's eyes widened. "No, that was..." His mind yelled at him to apologize immediately.

But before he could say anything, she set a plate of cream stew and a glass of water in front of him.  
"Here. It isn't anything fancy, but I hope it suits your taste."

Her blush having subsided, she wore the polite expression once more as she set the opposite side of the table. That done, she took her seat.

All things considered, it was ridiculous to think that Nayuta even got himself into a situation where he was alone in a strange girl's apartment having dinner with her.

He watched as she carefully put her hands together and quietly said "Ittadakimasu."

After a few seconds, he followed suit and they ate their meal in silence.

*****

Aika was at a loss. How did she get herself in this situation? She figured he got her address from Ren-nii-chan. But that wasn't the issue here. What was she even thinking, inviting Asahi Nayuta to come in and have dinner with her? He just came to return her phone which she had apparently dropped while she was out. She should've just said thanks and let him go his way. The offer to have coffee was done out of ingrained politeness. She knew he’d decline. But then it rained and she couldn’t bring herself to see him walk under that downpour. Nothing good ever came from getting involved with guys, especially popular ones. She knew that from experience. And to make matters worse, she just had to be wearing her Shinsengumi haori and he just had to catch her singing out loud. How utterly embarassing.

_Ah, whatever! There's nothing else to hide at this point..._

Just then, her phone chimed a notification for an online game event.

_Except maybe that. Ugh._

She blinked.

_Wait, did I just hear two chimes?_

Nayuta looked at his phone. "An event, huh?"

"You play?" She asked in surprise.

He gave her a brief glance then shrugged. "Yeah."

"Wow."

"Hah?"

"Oh, it's just a little unexpected." Aika said. "It doesn't fit your image."

Nayuta raised an eyebrow. "You're one to talk."

"Eh?" She tilted her head. "What makes you say that?"

He gave her a full-on stare. "Don't play dumb with me. It's all a facade, isn't it? You just wear that prim and proper mask for the outside world but you're actually a shut-in otaku whose wary of people."

She met his eyes directly. It was intense moment, as if they were sizing each other up. Nayuta felt a hint of satisfaction when she looked away first.

"Well, I can't say you're wrong." She got up and started clearing the table. "But it's not completely right either."  
She placed the dishes in the sink. Once again, all he could see was her profile.

"It's not just a mask." She said quietly. "It's armor."

"..."

"Though if I was being perfectly honest, it is also part of who I am." She shrugged and turned to face him, one hand on her hip. "I'm sure you could relate."

Nayuta frowned, standing up. "Oy, you. What are you trying to say?"

Their eyes met once more. Icy purple versus fiery red.  
"You act like a punk lashing out at the world out of self-preservation, right? Because you can't ever show any weakness. For you, it's a matter of survival. The logic is the same."

Nayuta clenched his fists, bristling at her words. Everything about this whole situation was absurd. The apartment, the rain, the memories, her singing and now this. It felt like he was being pushed into a corner and he did not like it.

She relaxed her pose and gave him a tired smile. "Don't worry, Asahi-san. You're not easy to read, I'm just more observant than most people. I memorized all your songs and I've met you a few times, so it just adds up. You read me pretty well too. You're the only who has ever done so."

Nayuta glared. "You... you're very troublesome."

She raised an eyebrow. "I have a name, you know. It's Na-na-ho-shi Ai-ka. I'd appreciate it if you'd use it."

The girl's got guts, he'll give her that. "Fine. Nanahoshi... no. Aika. There, happy now?"

Aika took the lack of honorifics in stride. "Very well, Nayuta. I'll keep your secret if you keep mine. Deal?"

"Hmph. Do whatever you want." Nayuta glanced at the window. The rain stopped. About time too. "I'm leaving."

He suddenly moved towards the door. Aika hurriedly got out of the way. As he was putting on his shoes, Nayuta could feel her eyes on his back. He got up and put his hand on the door knob but didn't open it. There was still unfinished business, his brain reminded him.

"Tch." Nayuta turned around and saw her standing a few feet away from him, an unreadable expression on her face.

"About earlier. Your singing."

Aika visibly tensed, her blush returning. "Oh. No, please forget about that. I know it wasn't any good."

Nayuta shook his head. "I wasn't dissing you for it. I was thinking of something else. Don't get the wrong idea."

Her eyes widened. It was obviously not what she expected to hear.

After one last look at her face, Nayuta opened the door and left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Nayuta plays online games as declared by OgaJin during the King of the World livestream.
> 
> *Headcanon that Nayuta lived in 1R apartments as a kid. I haven't completely read the GYRO LN yet so I don't know if this is true or not. I just think it makes sense.
> 
> *"Wish" by Trapnest is from the anime Nana. If you're not familiar with it, I recommend checking it out. It's awesome.


	5. Chapter 5

Kenta arrived at the mansion later that evening. After bringing his luggage to his apartment, he immediately went next door to check on Nayuta. He was surprised to find that Nayuta wasn't home yet. Kenta frowned. It was raining quite hard earlier, hopefully Nayuta wasn't stranded somewhere. Or worse, caught in the rain. That phone call earlier was also worrying. It seemed like something happened to Nyankotarou while he was away.

He was about to pull out his phone when he spotted Nayuta coming from the elevator. Kenta breathed a sigh of relief.

"I was wondering where you were." He smiled wryly.

Nayuta shrugged as he opened the door to his apartment. "I went out. That's all." He walked in, leaving the door open for Kenta to come in.

Kenta raised an eyebrow. There was something a little different about Nayuta. He seemed distracted, as if his mind was somewhere else.

Kenta went inside. Nayuta had picked up Nyankotarou, the white cat was purring happily in his arms. Looks like she is okay now, Kenta didn't have to worry about the cat. But if that's the case, what was that phone call about?

"Nayuta, that phone call earlier... Did something happen?" He ventured to ask, for once unable to gauge the other's mood.

"It's none of your business." Came the curt reply. Nayuta stood staring at the window. It reflected his annoyed expression.

Kenta sighed. He expected that kind of reply and decided to accept it at face value. "If you say so. Well, it seems everything is fine here. Do you need anything? I know you had a full stock before I left but maybe you're running low on something? I can do groceries."

"...It's fine. I'll do it myself if I need to. I'd rather we practice instead."

"Of course. Do you want to go now? We can use the mini-studio in this building anytime."

"...Tomorrow." Nayuta said. "Go back to your room, Satozuka. I don't need anything else for tonight."

It was definitely unusual behavior. Nayuta was the type to dive right into practice as soon as the opportunity presented itself. For him to put it off to the next day...

Something definitely happened. "Nayuta, are you alright?"

"Tch. I'm fine. Stop being such a worrywart." Nayuta muttered, moving away from the window and seating himself on the couch. 

Nyankotarou looked up at Kenta, her sharp eyes narrowing, as if to warn him of her master's mood.

GYROAXIA's leader was at a loss. But there was nothing he could do if Nayuta refuses to talk. "Alright." He said eventually. "I'll take my leave then. Good night, Nayuta. Rest well."

Kenta headed for the door. As he was about to exit, he heard Nayuta grumbling.

"Damn it... Nanahoshi..."

He rolled his eyes. Nothing strange about that. He closed the door behind him, not catching the first name Nayuta said that did not sound like Ren at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Sort of a mini chapter. Just wanted to write this kind of interacrion between Nayuta & Kenta.
> 
> *I like the idea of the GYROAXIA mansion having a mini studio they can use for practice & demo recordings, so I threw it in here.


	6. Chapter 6

This week's assignment was meant to be a group activity but Nayuta managed to convince the teacher to allow him to work alone. With extra credits, of course.

The task would require him to interview someone with a background in International Law. So he scheduled a meeting with a professor in Tokyo University.

Nayuta walked around the campus freely as his student ID allowed him access inside the university. He arrived an hour early in case he'd have difficulty finding the right building. Nayuta hated getting lost.

It was a hot day so he dressed plainly - black jeans and a black & white plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up. There were the occasional glances and whispers but for the most part, people left him alone. Since he had time to kill, he decided to take a walk around Sanshiro Pond.

As he picked a trail at random, his thoughts drifted towards a certain purple-eyed girl. They’d run into each other a few times out on the street, once in a convenience store, and couple of times in a drugstore. She’d greet him politely, calling him by his name. He’d return the greeting reluctantly. It was like they had a truce of some sort from that time he went to her apartment. The things she said that time had bothered him. Not just because of what she said about him but what she said about herself as well.

Nayuta followed an old stone path leading to the pond. As he was about to get on the wooden planks running across the water, he recognized Nanahoshi Aika standing on the other side. Her long hair streaming in the summer breeze. She noticed him at the same time, her face showing genuine surprise.

They looked at each other in silence for a few moments. Nayuta sighed, resigning himself to having another encounter with the troublesome female. He crossed the wooden bridge and stood in front of her.

"I keep running into you." he said without preamble.

Aika blinked, as if not quite believing he was in front of her. "I could say the same thing. Why are you here, Nayuta?"

His name sounded different coming from her. He wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

"An appointment." he said. "You?"

"I study here."

"Faculty?"

"Veterinary Medicine."

"Hm." Makes sense since she works in a pet clinic.

They fell silent. After a while, Aika gave a tight smile. "Well. I better get going. See ya." She made a move to walk away.

Nayuta frowned. "Oy. What's wrong?"

Aika tensed. "What do you mean?"

His eyes sharpened. Looking at her more closely, he could see that there was a vivid red mark on her left cheek. 

_Did someone hit her?_

Nayuta instinctively reached out and touched her face. She flinched at the contact and took a step back.

His frowned deepened. "What happened?"

Aika turned her face away from him. "It's nothing."

"It's not nothing when you're obviously hurt." The idea did not sit well with him. He could still feel the heat of her skin on his fingers.

"It's got nothing to do with you. If you'll excuse me..." She began to walk away.

Nayuta grit his teeth. Common sense was telling him to let her go. As she said, it had nothing to do with him. However, his instincts were yelling at him to stay with her. He was usually at war with himself, but this was the first time it was over another person.

"Aika." Her name sounded different coming from him. He wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing either.

She stopped walking but did not turn around. "Yes?"

"I'm walking the same way."

"As you wish." She said coldly. The words were different but the meanings were the same to his usual retorts. The irony of these being thrown back at him was not lost on Nayuta.

She started walking again. He easily caught up and kept with her pace. They walked the path in silence. Somehow, Nayuta found himself in another absurd situation because of this girl.

_I must be out of my mind..._

"I didn't ask you to come with me, you know." Aika said, her purple eyes giving him a sideways glance.

Nayuta glared at her. She somehow manages to guess at what he's thinking.

She shrugged. "You look like someone who doesn't know if he wants to be here or not."

"Are you afraid of me?" he suddenly asked.

The question caught her off-guard, enough to make her stop walking. "What?"

"Your body language." Nayuta pointed out. "As if you'd run away any second."

"..."

He looked into her eyes. She met his red gaze defiantly.

"...No, that's not it." he said thoughtfully. "You looked like this in the library too, when those blokes were talking to you."

Aika frowned. "You were there?"

"It's where I picked up your phone." He continued studying her face. "Hm. Not fear. You're on defensive mode because you're being asked something you don't want to answer."

She bristled at his words. Nayuta found himself smiling at a sudden realization.

_Just like a cat..._

"Heh. Not even bothering to hide what you're thinking anymore, huh?"

She narrowed her eyes at him for a few seconds then looked away. "Seems the point is moot with you." She sighed. They resumed walking.

Aika began to speak softly. "Those blokes were trying to get me to join a mixer. They kept insisting but I refused. I wasn't interested in that sort of thing."

"Hm." He figured as much.

"Well, apparently one of them has a girlfriend. Somehow, the story that got to her was that I tried to seduce the jerk." She lightly touched her cheek. "This was the result of that."

"That's bullshit." He scowled. "Did you fight back?"

She shook her head. "No, it wouldn't do me any good. She's a popular rich kid and I'm just a poor scholarship student with a bad reputation. I'd lose either way."

Nayuta’s expression darkened. That sounded way too familiar. 

He looked at her face. Her eyes held a faraway expression as if she was also remembering things she'd rather forget.

_This happened to her before..._

Just then, his phone beeped. It was a calendar reminder about his appointment. He sighed inwardly, recalling why he was even there in the first place.

"I gotta go." The moment he said this, Nayuta suddenly felt reluctant to leave.

She nodded. "Alright."

A gust of wind blew, ruffling their hair.

"Has anyone ever told you that you look like a cat?" Aika asked suddenly.

Nayuta raised an eyebrow. "Not to my face."

"Figures." She laughed.

It was the first time he heard her laugh. "...You're very strange." he said.

She nodded. "I know." She pointed towards a side path. "That'll lead you to the Law buildings."

"Hm." He turned to go.

"Nayuta."

He paused and gave her a backwards glance.

"Thank you." She smiled. It felt like the first genuine smile she'd ever given him.

Nayuta smirked. "Yeah."

She turned towards a different side path and was gone. He looked at the direction she had taken before continuing on his way.

It was a weird conversation. Again, the way he reacted didn't make any sense. But despite the roller coaster of emotions that he refused to analyze, Nayuta had to admit it felt good when she said "thank you" to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Yes, Nayuta is wearing his WEGO outfit minus the beret.
> 
> *From what I remember, students from affiliated colleges can enter Tokyo University to use facilities like the library. Not 100% sure on this because I only heard stories from alumni. Headcanon that Kamogawa Music College is one of the affiliated schools.
> 
> *Sanshiro Pond is located in the middle of Tokyo University & is a tourist spot. There are walking trails around the pond. And there really is a part where there are wooden planks you can cross over.


	7. Chapter 7

Summer continued. It’s been a whole month since band activities were put on hold but that did not stop Nayuta from creating music.

It was past 10PM when he realized he hasn't had dinner yet. He lost track of time composing again. Not in the mood to cook, he decided to grab a gyudon from the nearest Yoshinoya. The walk could do him good.

He made his way to the restaurant, pointedly ignoring the fact that he'd pass by the pet clinic. He did not pay attention to the fact that lights were still on even if the CLOSED sign was already up. Just a few more steps and he'd pass it entirely.

"Kyaaaaaaaaa!!!"

Her voice.

His feet ran on automatic towards the entrance. He burst into the shop.

"Oy, what happened?!"

The sight that greeted him was unexpected. 

The floor was covered in silver powder. There were half a dozen kittens passed out, traces of the powder all over their face and paws. The girl was sprawled on the floor too, in a half-sitting half-lying position. Her hands were on her head, or rather, on the enterprising kitten on her head that was currently attacking her ribbon. She herself was a mess. Scrub suit covered in paw-shaped powder prints, hair all tangled up, and her purple eyes looked so comically round with frustration...

Aika turned to him and cried "Save me!"

It was the most ridiculous thing Nayuta has ever seen. 

"Heh..." His laughter attempting to escape.

Aika pouted. "It's not funny!"

He was unable to hold back after that. Nayuta laughed out loud. "Hahaha! What the hell... Hahaha! What's up with that? Hahaha!"

Aika's eyes widened at the sight of GYROAXIA's angsty vocalist doubled over in laughter. It sounded refreshing, clear and a little bit breathless. Like he was laughing so hard he can barely breathe. It was contagious.

She found herself giggling at the sight of him. Eventually, both of them were laughing until they were gasping for air.

When they finally settled down, Nayuta approached her, carefully avoiding the sleeping kittens on the floor. 

Aika looked up at him. His appearance was unexpected after all. "What are you doing here?"

"Saving you." Nayuta smirked then looked at the kitten on her head. "Oy, neko."

The kitten looked up at him, its claws still gripping the ribbon.

"Come here." He commanded, holding out both hands.  
The kitten immediately let go of the ribbon and eagerly leaped into his hands. He then placed it on his shoulder with the ease of someone used to handling cats. It purred contentedly against his neck.

Aika felt a blush start to creep up her cheeks at the sound of his commanding tone. It gave her goose bumps to hear it so close to her ear.

He turned his piercing red gaze at her once more. "What happened?"

"Ah. I... uhm..." She stammered, realizing the state she was in. 

Nayuta raised an eyebrow. Looks like he won't get an answer from her. How odd that she's so flustered.

He scanned the area. The powder is obviously catnip. There was a damaged box of it by her feet. There was also a carton box with a tattered blanket inside. The kittens are most likely strays that were brought it. 

"Hm." He looked back at the girl on the floor. "You plan to just sit there all night?"

"Oh. Right." She got up and brushed herself off. "Uhm. Thanks... For saving me." Aika said softly, avoiding his eyes.

Nayuta blinked. 

_What's up with that? She's acting all awkward and... cute?_

"Why are you blushing like that?" He asked.

She turned an even brighter shade of pink and quickly turned away. "Because I'm embarrassed, obviously." She muttered.

Aika busied herself with picking up kittens and putting them in the box. Nayuta took the kitten from his shoulder and placed it in the box as well. It meowed in protest.

He looked at Aika as she placed the last kitten in the box. Her ribbon was all tattered. His hand went up and pulled the ribbon, releasing her hair in a wavy cascade.

"Oy, Nayuta!" Her startled eyes widened at his sudden move.

Nayuta examined the ribbon then lowered it into the box. The kitten that mangled it eagerly grabbed it once more. 

"It's a goner anyway." He said as he stood up. "I'll just get you a new one." 

_Wait, what did I just say?!_

He frowned at his unusual declaration. He glanced at her face, checking for her reaction. She looked at him with shuttered expression.

"...it's fine. You don't have to." Aika said eventually. She began to clean up the mess on the floor. "I'm sure you're busy, please feel free to see yourself out."

Nayuta wrinkled his brow. Did he say something wrong? The dismissal irked him for some reason. 

"Oy, Aika. What time do you get off work?" He found himself asking.

"My shift is over actually." She did not turn to face him. "I just need to lock up. Why?"

"I'm hungry. Have dinner with me."

Aika finally turned to look at him. "I beg your pardon?"

"You heard me. Don't make me repeat myself."

"..."

Nayuta raised an eyebrow. "Well? Do you want to or not?"

"It's okay, I'm not hungry." Aika said haughtily. 

Unfortunately, her stomach chose the next moment to growl.

She blushed once more. Nayuta snickered. He was beginning to find her flustered state amusing. "You were saying?"

Aika let out a frustrated sigh. "...Fine! Give me five minutes. I need to change my clothes." Without waiting for his reply, she picked up the box of kittens and hurried into the back area.

"Tch." Nayuta sat in the waiting area. This was not how he expected his evening to turn out. It has to be said, this is probably the first time he ever asked anyone to eat with him.

"I'm ready." Aika reappeared, wearing her usual loose white shirt, jeans, and sneakers. A denim backpack was slung over her left shoulder.

As she locked up the entrance, she asked "So where are we going?"

"Yoshinoya." Nayuta replied and started walking. She followed.

Aika sneaked a sidelong glance at the guy walking beside her. Even without the knowledge of his celebrity status, he really was an impressive piece of work. Yet for some reason, she could talk to him easily. How rare.

Nayuta could feel that he was being measured up. She wasn't even making an effort to hide it anymore. Annoying female. And yet it didn't really seem to bother him as much as he thought it would.

"Got something to say?" he asked bluntly.

She tilted her head to one side, her hair following the movement. "Why did you ask me to come with you?"

He shrugged. "I just felt like it. Why'd you agree?"

Aika blinked. "I'm not sure actually."

They reached the restaurant. The staff perked up at the entrance of two customers. Then perked even more when he recognized one of them. "W-welcome! May I take your o-order?"

"Large gyudon, B set." Nayuta said then glanced at Aika. "You?"

"Uhm. Medium gyudon, A set." She answered, pulling her wallet out of her bag.

Nayuta was quicker in pulling out money. He placed ¥2,000 on the bill plate. The cashier reverently took the money, hands shaking a little. "I received ¥2,000. Your change is ¥852."

Aika tugged at his sleeve. "Hey, at least let me pay for my own meal."

"You gave me dinner last time. I’m returning the favor."

Their food was served after a couple of minutes. They began their meal in silence.

It occurred to Nayuta that this was the second meal they shared together. The only people he's ever eaten with these past few years have been his bandmates and Argonavis, whenever they did joint events. He did his best to avoid the latter but not all attempts were successful.

He further contemplated as he munched on pickles that they both seem to be used to eating quietly, used to eating alone. The amazing thing is he seemed to be okay being around her.

Meanwhile, Aika was wondering why her usual defenses weren't up as she nibbled her salad. She agreed to join him for dinner. She even went so far as to grab his sleeve earlier. She also noticed that despite his intense aura and brusque manners, she did not feel any uneasiness that she would normally get from other people.

It was already past 11PM by the time they finished their meal. The staff shyly asked for an autograph before they left, which Nayuta silently obliged. Aika watched him with interest.

"So you're actually lowkey nice to fans, huh." She commented as they exited the restaurant.

"Is that your roundabout way of asking for an autograph?" He retorted.

Aika laughed. "Of course not. But if I ever do ask for one, I'd go for a CD."

"You're really weird, you know that?"

"So you keep telling me." She smiled wryly. "Well, thanks for the meal. I'll see you around, Nayuta." She began to walk away.

Nayuta narrowed his eyes. "Where are you going? That's not the way to your place."

Aika stopped and turned to look at him. "Ah, right, you know where I live. I don't want to go home yet. So I'll just walk around a bit."

"Are you insane?" Nayuta frowned. "It's late, you shouldn't be walking around alone at night."

She shrugged. "It's no big deal, it's not even midnight yet. A lot places are still open at this hour. This is Shinjuku, after all."

"That's not the point." His brows furrowed in annoyance. Partly because it was a stupidly reckless thing to do, partly because he didn't know why he'd even care. 

Aika stared at him in confusion. "Why are you getting so worked up about this?"

"..." It was a very good question. One that he couldn't readily answer.

She sighed. "Well, if it will makes you feel better, I was just planning to buy something in a konbini then I'll go home."

"Fine. Let's go."

"Eh? You're coming too?"

"Yeah. Got a problem with that?" He glared at her.

Aika gave him a perplexed look. "You know, you're the one being weird right now."

"..."

"Oh, whatever." She rolled her eyes. "We're going to Lawson then."

They walked on to the nearby Lawson. She picked up a small basket and headed straight to sweets section.

Nayuta watched as she debated over what to get. Aika looked so serious in her dessert selection. She eventually settled for a pudding and a chocolate milk.  
He grabbed a pudding and a coffee milk for himself. She gestured for him to put his items in her basket.

"I'm done here." Aika declared. "Do you need anything else?"

"Nah." Nayuta shook his head.

They got to the counter. Aika hurriedly paid for the items. Nayuta raised a questioning eyebrow at her. 

"Oy."

"What? It's the least I can do, as thanks for earlier." She blushed lightly as she said this.

By unspoken agreement, they sat by the outdoor dining area to eat their pudding.

Aika carefully peeled off the lid, her eyes bright with excitement. Nayuta handed her a tiny plastic spoon.

"Oh, thanks."

"...Sure."

Nayuta watched as Aika took her first bite of pudding. She looked absolutely blissful, letting out a tiny squeal of delight.

"Hm." He smiled despite himself. It was amusing to observe her making all sort of expressions. He began to eat his own pudding. It tasted just as he expected it to taste. But at the same time, it tasted much better than he could remember.

Aika sighed happily as she took her last bite. "Ah, happiness..."

"You like sweets, huh." Nayuta commented.

"You bet!" She grinned, opening her chocolate milk and taking a swig. "Don't you?"

He shrugged. "Never thought about if I like them or not. I just eat what I feel like eating."

"Fair enough."

Nayuta looked at the coffee milk in his hand. "...I like coffee though."

"Right. I remember reading about that in your LRFes interview. It was amusing how short it was compared to everyone else's. But I think the 4Gamer one for the IGNITION concert was the best. You gave that interviewer a lot of grief." She giggled.

He raised an eyebrow. Those interviews were from three years ago. "You remember that sort of thing?"

She gave him a smug look. "I have a good memory."

"Hm." He took a sip of coffee milk. "Like how you remember songs?"

"Oh gosh, can we not talk about my singing?" Aika groaned. "I shouldn't have done that in front of you."

"Haa?" Nayuta looked genuinely perplexed. "There's nothing wrong with your singing. And that wasn't the first time I heard you."

"Eh?"

"The first time we met, you sang **1/3 Junjou na Kanjou** in the clinic."

Aika stared at him in disbelief. "No way! I wasn't singing that loud."

"I have a good ear for music." He smirked. 

"Of course you do." She smiled wryly. 

They disposed of their trash and stepped onto the sidewalk.

"Well, that was fun." Aika put her backpack on and began to walk towards the direction of her apartment.  
Nayuta found himself walking along with her.

She gave him a sideways glance. "Don't you need to go home?"

"...I'll walk you home first." he said, surprising them both.

Aika blinked several times, trying to think of an excuse to decline. But she couldn't bring herself to say anything. It began to dawn on her that she meant what she said about having fun. She can't remember the last time she had such a relaxed conversation with anyone.

Meanwhile, Nayuta was mentally kicking himself for his irrational behavior. Was he walking her home out of some odd sense of chivalry? That aside, he was beginning to suspect that he might actually enjoy talking to her. Was it because of her voice or the way she talked? Probably both.

They continued to walk in silence and soon found themselves in front of Aika's apartment.

“Well… Thanks again for today.” Aika said softly. “Good night, Nayuta.”

“Yeah. Sure.” Nayuta muttered. “…Good night.”

She took one last hesitant look at his face before closing the door. 

He sighed and left. This definitely wasn’t how he expected his evening to go. His thoughts went back to the almost comical way she asked him to save her. Nayuta felt his mouth twitch into a half-smile. She was an absolute mess. At the same time, she was absolutely adorable.

_Super fucking kawaii…_

He blinked. What a weird thought for him to have. But still, he couldn’t deny the truth of it. Looks like he’ll need to come to terms with the fact that he was actually beginning to be interested in other another human being.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *I was craving for Yoshinoya when I wrote this. Set A includes miso soup & salad. Set B includes miso soup & pickles. The bill & change is based off the pricing on the official website.
> 
> *Made references to Nayuta's interview articles for LRFes & IGNITION.
> 
> *"Super fucking kawaii" was a tweet from OgaJin last November 4. The fandom went wild over that.
> 
> *I'm hoping this chapter isn't too awkwardly written. I'm still building the whole story and it will probably be a slow burn kind of thing.


End file.
